Fluorescent lampholders and fittings



May 17, 1966 A. mass FLUORESCENT LAMPHOLDERS AND FITTINGS I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6- 1965 QUE m Qww May 17, 1966 A. Moss 3,252,125

FLUORESCENT LAMPHOLDERS AND FITTINGS Filed March 6. 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.7

fikzz/vrae IQLFEED M055 May 17, 1966 A. MOSS FLUORESCENT LAMPHOLDERS AND FITTINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1963 .Zivvzwmz flax-19527 M66 United States Patent once 3,252,125 Patented May 17, 1966 3 252,125 FLUORESCENT LAMII-IOLDERS AND FITTINGS Alfred Moss, 54 Robson Ave., London, England Filed Mar. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 263,315 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 16, 1962, 10,213/ 62 7 Claims. (Cl. 339-56) This invention relates fittings.

In accordance fluorescent lamp fitting having a casing and springloaded holders at opposite ends of the casing for engaging and supporting the contact pins of a fluorescent lamp, said holders each having guide means engageable with the end cap of a lamp when pressed against the holder, so as to guide the latter into a position in which the pins can engage corresponding electrical contacts of the holder.

The invention further provides a fluorescent lampholder having contacts for engagement by pins at one end of a fluorescent lamp, said holder having also guide means engageable with and adapted to guide the adjacent end cap of a lamp into a position in which contact pins at the adjacent end of the lamp can engage corresponding contacts of the holder.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into eifect, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, partly broken away, of a fluorescent lamp fitting,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along the line IIII of FIGURE 1 and showing the front of a lamp holder and an insert part,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail view of the left-hand portion of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a detail of FIGURE 2 with the insert part of the lamp holder removed to reveal the internal structure,

FIGURE 5 is alongitudinal section taken along the line VV of FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 6 is a front view of the insert part of the lamp holder shown in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line VIIVII of FIGURE 6,

FIGURE 8 is a rear view of FIGURE 6,

FIGURE 9 is a side view, partly in section, of an assembly according to the modified embodiment,

FIGURE 10 is a front view, and

FIGURE 11 is a plan view corresponding to FIG- URE 9.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the first embodiment comprises a fluorescent light fitting indicated generally at 1, including a trough or channel casing formed of sheet aluminum and having a flat base 2 and opposite side walls 3, 4, vof substantially bulbous form. The open side of the casing is normally closed by a removable cover 5 extending from end to end of the casing, the cover having opposite longitudinal marginal portions 6 which are beveled or are of arcuate section so as to embrace the underlying curved portions of the side walls 3, 4. The cover 5 is held removably in position by screws, one of which is shown at 7, each. screw being to fluorescent lamp holders and carried by a block 8 fixed in the channel and the screw with the invention there is provided a extending through a corresponding hole in the "cover and provided with a fixing nut 9.

Within the channel casing there are arranged a fluorescent lamp choke or current-limiting device 10, condenser 11 and a starter switch 12 of conventional form, these components being connected in circuit with fluorescent lamp holders 13 and 14 which are provided one at each end of the casing and which support therebetween a fluorescent lamp 15.

The two holders are mounted in the channel casing for rocking movement about their lower ends each holder being urged resiliently inwardly by an associated spring 16, the bottom of the holder normally engaging a stop 17 extending from the base 2 of the casing. ,Tongues 18 are bent inwardly from opposite side walls of the casing to provide abutments engageable with the adjacent holder so that whenthe tube 15 is removed, the opposite holders 13, 14 will be supported substantially perpendicular to the base of the channel ready for reinsertion of the tube.

The two holders 13, 14 are of identical construction and it will suffice therefore to describe one only of the holders in detail. Referring to FIGURE 2, each holder is of composite form and includes a body comprising an outer casing 19 and an insert 20, both the casing and the insert being formed as moldings of a synthetic resinous material or other electrical insulating material. The insert 20 is held in position by a single fixing screw 21. The casing 19 (FIGURES 4, 5) is in the form of an open substantially rectangular box having two opposite sides 22, an inner end 23, an outer shaped end 24, and a backing wall 25. The casing is formed also with side cheeks 26 coplanar'with the backing wall and arranged to follow substantially the bulbous shape of the sides 3, 4 of the fitting, there being sufiicient clearance between the side cheeks 26 and the casing sides 3, 4 to permit rocking 0f the lamp holders against the action of the springs 16. The casing and insert could alternatively be formed in one-piece.

The tension spring 16 is secured at one end to the base 2 of the fitting and the opposite end of the spring has. an extension including a loop 27 formed by one or two convolutions in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of the main coil of the spring 16. The extension includes also at its free end a hook 28 (FIGURE 5) which engages in a slotted plate 29 integral with the casing 19. The insert 20 (FIGURES 6, 7 and 8) has at its lower end a central cut-out 30 which receives the slotted plate 29, the insert being formed also with a slotted web 31 which is open at the front, as shown in FIGURE 6, and which opens at its lower end into the cut-out 30,

thereby to act as a guide for the hook 28 of the spring 16. The arrangement is such that when the spring is to be engaged, a screw-driver or like tool can readily be inserted into the loop 27 to facilitate the engagement of the hook 28 in the slotted plate 29, the slotted web 31 of the insert acting as a guide for the hook. The single screw 21 which secures the insert in the casing 19, serves also to locate in position an earthing strip 32, FIGS. 4 and 5, having at one end a protruding tongue portion 32a for engagement with the adjacent metal end cap 33 of the fluorescent lamp 15, the earthing strip having at its opposite end a forwardly bent part 34 (FIGURE 5) which is engaged by the lower slotted end of the web 31 and which is similarly slotted to receive the hook 28 of the tension spring. The bent part 34 of the earthing strip has a tongue 35 which is normally urged by the spring hook 28 against the end of the slotted plate 23 thereby to ensure a satisfactory contact.

The insert 20 is formed in its front face with a recessed outer end portion defining a substantially semicylindrical ledge 36 which follows the curvature of the end cap 33 of the lamp and is adapted to form a stop therefor. The ledge 36 is slotted to enable the tongue of the earthing strip 32 to protrude for engagement with the lamp cap 33 (FIGURE 1). The recessed portion of the insert is formed with two slots 37 which correspond in spacing to, and are adapted to receive, the two pins 38 (FIGURE 1) at the adjacent end of the fluorescent tube, these pins 38 being partly obscured in FIGURE 1 by the holder 14.

The present embodiment is intended for use with fluorescent tubes having end caps of approximately 1.4 inches in diameter and 0.5 inch in axial extent, the pins 38 being approximately 0.1 inch in diameter, about 0.25 inch in length and spaced apart at approximately 0.5 inch.

The shaped end 24 of the casing 19 is arranged internally to follow the corresponding substantially semicircular end of the insert 20 and is cut away centrally to define at opposite side, guide edges 39. These guide edges 39 are mutually inclined and extend forwardly and in a direction inwardly or downwardly towards the ledge 36 from the ends of an arcuate rest edge 40 formed centrally at the outer end of the backing wall 25. The recessed face 41 of the insert is itself recessed in the region of the slots 37 to a depth of approximately 0.125 inch, to provide an inner stepped clearance face 42. The face 42 is curved outwardly and rearwardly at 43 so as to merge into the arcuate rest edge 40. The face 42 has lateral stepped edges 42a which are curved .outwardly and laterally'so as to merge into the corresponding guide edges 39 of the casing.

The edge 40 is rounded so as to conform substantially to the part of the circumference of the lamp cap 33. In this manner, the edges 40 of the two opposite holders serve conveniently to locate the opposite ends of the lamp in position preparatory to the insertion of the lamp into the fitting, the arcuate edges 40 serving to centre the lamp relatively to the holders. The lamp may now be shifted axially so that at one end, the cap 33 will slide inwardly along the lateral guide edges 39 of the adjacent holder, and during this movement the recessed face 42 and 43 will be prevented from damaging the extremities of the lamp pins 38. Moreover, the lateral guide edges 39 are so rounded that they cooperate with the rounded periphery of the cap 33 to ensure a smooth sliding of the cap into position within the holder. Thus the lamp pins are not subjected to any undue pressure during the manipulation of the lamp into position.

The curved ledge 36 of the insert has a radius somewhat greater than that of the lamp cap so that, during fitting of the lamp, the latter can be tilted slightly while being inserted into, or removed from, the holder. For this reason also, the slots 37 are of elongated form, as hereinafter more fully described, to accommodate the I end pins during tilting of the-lamp.

Assuming that the two pins are in alignment with the corresponding slots 37, the ends of the pins 38 will just touch the recessed face 42 as the pins enter the slots to engage corresponding electrical contacts. The latter comprise resilient leaf springs 44 which are conveniently mounted between the backing wall 25 of the casing and the interior of the insert 20, the outer or upper portion of the contact springs 44 being disposed at the back of the slots 37 in the insert 20. The contact springs 44 are provided at their inner ends with terminals 45 for the connection of electric leads (not shown) and, at their outer ends, the springs 44 are formed with tapered seatings 44a for engagement by. the extremities of the lamp pins 38. The seatings 44a are spaced from inclined ribs 19a .raised slightly from the backing wall 25 of casing 19. Ribs 19a are not operatively related to the tapered seatings 44a, except that the ribs could conceivably act as stops for the springs. Each contact spring 44 is located in the inclined position shown in FIGURE 4 by fitting into a recessbetween rib 19b and the innerwall of casing 19. The lower end portion of each contact spring is formed with a hole therein which engages a peg 13d. The pegs 19d constitute integral parts of the casing molding. Should the lamp pins not be in alignment with the slots 37 as the first end of the lamp is inserted into its holder, the inward movement of the lamp may continue until one end of the pin engages the step of the face 42 or until the end cap 33 engages the ledge- 36 which is approximately 0.450 inch in depth. The tube may then be rotated to bring the pins into position within their slots.

Having thus properly located one end of the tube in its holder, it is necessary merely to press the tube inwardly, together perhaps with a slight axial pressure in a direction towards the engaged end of the tube, so that the cap 33 at the seeond end of the tube will slide along the lateral guide edges 39 towards the ledge 36 and will, at-

the same time resiliently displace the holder against the action of its spring 16. During this movement, the pins are again protected from pressure until they engage the face 42 just as they enter the slots 37.- The spring loading of the two holders provides the necessary pressure to maintain the tube in position between the holders with the pins properly engaged at each end of the tube with the corresponding contact springs 44.

It is to be noted that during rotary adjustment of the tube, the end cups will be supported laterally by the adja cent portions of the side walls 22 of the casing 19. Moreover, the inward movement of the tube at each end will normally be arrested by engagement of the tip of a connecting pin with the step which defines the inner limit of the recessedface 42. The tube may then be rotated until the pins are properly located. Should the inward movement continue past the inner step of the recessed face 42, the ledge 36 will engage the cap to arrest such movement of the tube;

It is to be noted also that the length of each slot 37 is such that the distance between the normal centre of the pin and the inner end of the slot, will be somewhat greater thanthe distance between such centre and the outer end of the slot. In the present embodiment, for example, the inner distance is 0.20 inch while the outer distance is 0.15 inch. This arrangement is such that during the manipulation of the lamp into and from position between the holders, the lamp may be tilted relatively to a holder, in a plane perpendicular to the front of the holder, without the tips of the pins engaging or being damaged by the inner ends of the slots 37. This is particularly advantageous during the rem-oval of a fluorescent lamp from the fitting.

The arrangement serves to facilitate the location of the lamp in position, even in a darkened room, the guide edges and recessed f-aces being such that the end caps only of the lamp will normally be engaged by the holders thereby to avoid or minimise possible damage of the pins.

In the aforedescribed embodiment, each holder 13, 14

is mounted directly in the casing of the light fitting. In the modified embodiment, however, of FIGURES 9 to 11, each holder is carried by a sub-frame indicated generally at 50 which is inserted into the end portion of an aluminum casing which is similar to that described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2. The sub-frame 50 is formed of a blank of sheet steel which is folded to define a tubular member substantially square in cross-section and having two opposed sides 51, 52, a top 53 and overlapping base sections 54- and 55. The uppermost base section 54 is connected to side wall 51 and the lower base section 55 is connected to side wall 52. The subsframe 50 is secured within the main casing'of the fitting by screw 56 which passes through the bottom wall 2 of the casing and is threaded into the two base sections of the sub-frame. An elongated hole 57 formed in the top wall 53 of the sub-frame, is engaged by a screw 58 which passes through the cover 5 and is fitted with a clamping nut device 59, so that, by tightening the screw, the cover 5 is securely clamped to the main part of the casing.

The upper section 54 of the base is formed at its upper end with a central projection 65 and two projecting tongues 60 (FIGURE 11). The projection 65 protrudes into a central recess 66 (FIGURE at the lower end of the casing 19 of the lamp holder, and tongues 60 protrude into pockets 61 in casing 19, thereby to locate the lamp holder in position at the end of the sub-frame As in the first-described embodiment, the lamp holder is urged resiliently into a normally vertical position with respect to the main casing, by a spring 16- which engages at one end in the base sections 54, 55 of the sub-frame and which, at the opposite end, is hooked onto a slotted part at the lower end of the lamp holder, substantially as already described in connection with the first embodiment. The top wall 53 is formed also with a rectangular opening 61a which provides access to the interior of the subframe and defines at opposite ends of the top wall, shoulders 62 engageable by the spring influenced holder 13, 14 to maintain the latter in its normal substantially vertical position. The arrangement is such that before insertion of the fluorescent tube into the holder, the latter will be inclined inwardly slightly as indicated diagrammatically by the broken line 63 in FIGURE 9, whereas, after insertion of the lamp, the holder will assume an upright position as indicated in full lines in FIGURE 9.

Each side wall 51, 52 is formed at its outer end with a cut-out 64. .The arrange-ment is such that for transit purposes, the adjacent holder can, when released from the spring 16, be withdrawn and then inserted axially through the open end of the sub-frame, into a stowed position in which the side cheeks 26 of the holder are-located within the cut-outs 64 of the sub frame. This facilitates packaging of the fitting for transport purposes and protects the lamp holder from damage during transit. Moreover, the provision of the separate sub-frame formed of sheet steel, provides a reinforced mounting for the lamp holder which is particularly advantageous when employing a main casing constructed of aluminum.

In the aforedescribed embodiments, each lamp holder is mounted at the opposite end of a main casing which extends over the full length of the fitting and accommodates the various components thereof. If desired, however, each spring-loaded holder may be arranged on an individual bracket or support adapted to be secured to a ceiling or other surface. In this manner, two individually mounted lamp holders can be secured to a ceiling or wall at a desired spacing depending upon the length of the fluorescent lamp to be supported by the holders.

I claim:

1. A fluorescent lamp fitting comprising: a casing of channel form having a base, two opposite side walls extending along the base, and a removable cover extending along an open side of said channel; holders at opposite ends of said casing for engaging and supporting the contact pins of a fluorescent lamp, said holders each having a body, means in said body for the reception of the lamp contact pins to establish electrical contact therewith, and guide means on said body for engaging and guiding the lamp into a position in which the pins thereof engage the pin-receiving means of the body; mounting means at opposite ends of said channel casing for said holders; and

spring means for said holders engaged between the holders and said base for resiliently urging said lamp holders toward one another for engagement of a fluorescent lamp between said holders.

2. A fluorescent lamp fitting comprising a casing of channel form, a spring-loaded lamp holder mounted at each end of said casing for resilient rocking movement for engaging and supporting a fluorescent lamp, each holder including an outer casing, an insert removably secured within said outer casing, said insert having a recessed face engageable by an end cap of the fluorescent lamp to be supported by said holder, said recessed face presenting an arcuate ledge forming a stop for the end cap of the lamp when said lamp is applied to the holder, said holders further including means for receiving the lamp pins of said lamp for establishing electrical contact therewith, guide means engageable by the end cap of a lamp as the latter is pressed against the holder for guiding the end cap into a position in which it engages said ledge and in which the lamp pins of said lamp, positioned in the end cap, are electrically contacted within the holder, and means at the opposite ends of said channel casing for accommodating adjacent lamp holders, when said holders are released from their springs, for storage of the lamp holders within the casing for storage and transport purposes.

3. A holder for a fluorescent lamp, said holder comprising a body, electric contacts mounted in said body for engagement by lamp pins in an end cap at one end of the fluorescent lamp, guide means on said body for engagement by and guiding the adjacent end cap of the lamp to a position in which the lamp pins are in electrical contact with the corresponding contacts mounted in said body; said body including an outer casing, an insert removably secured Within said outer casing, said insert having a recessed face for engagement by an end cap of the fluorescent lamp when applied to the holder, said recessed face being provided with a pair of apertures for the reception of the lamp pins to permit engagement of said pins with the electrical contacts in said body; mounting means at one end of said outer casing for supporting said holder for resilient rocking movement during engagement by a lamp; said outer casing having at the opposite end thereof, means including an arcuate edge engageable by part of the peripheral surface of the end cap of a fluorescent lamp to position said lamp preparatory to engagement of the lamp pins in said holder.

4. A lamp holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide means further includes mutually inclined guide edges extending from the opposite ends of said arcuate edge in a direction laterally inwardly and towards said one end of said casing, said mutually inclined guide edges being curved to guide a peripheral edge part of the end cap of the fluorescent lamp from said arcuate edge to a position in which the lamp pins of said lamp are located within said apertures in the lamp holder, said guide edges serving to maintain the end cap a desired distance from the face of said holder to prevent damage of the lamp pins during positioning thereof.

5. A lamp holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein said insert is provided with a second recessed face formed in the region of said pair of apertures, said second face being inwardly recessed and extending from said apertures towards the arcuate edge of said holder.

6. A lamp holder comprising an outer casing, an insert removably secured Within said outer casing, said insert having a forwardly directed recessed face for engagement by an end cap of a fluorescent lamp to be supported by said holder, said recessed face being provided with a pair of'spaced apertures for the reception of the lamp pins of said lamp, electrical contact means mounted within said holder, said contact means registering with said apertures to permit electrical contact with the lamp pins when said pins are inserted into said apertures, the

I apertures being elongated to permit tilting of the fluores- 7 portion having a slot therein for guiding the hooked end of said spring into the slot of said plate.

7. A lamp holder as claimed in claim 6, wherein said insert is further provided with a cut-out portion, an earthing strip, a tongue at one end of said earthing strip which protrudes through the cut-out portion in said insert for engagement with the end cap of a fluorescent tube, said earthing strip having at the other end thereof a bent portion engaged by said hooked end of said spring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,288,941 7/1942 Curtis 240-5111 2,368,879

8 7 1946 Dansereau 33956 11/1947 De Bell 33952 2/ 1948 Dansereau 33956 4/1949 Burt 339-56 5/1961 Lister etal. 24051.11

FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1953 France. 1/1949 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Lloyd: Flex-Lee catalog, p. 3.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

2/1945 Reeves 240 51 11 15 ALFRED TRAsKsExaminer- 

1. A FLUORESCENT LAMP FITTING COMPRISING: A CASING OF CHANNEL FORM HAVING A BASE, TWO OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS EXTENDING ALONG THE BASE, AND A REMOVABLE COVER EXTENDING ALONG AN OPEN SIDE OF SAID CHANNEL; HOLDERS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CASING FOR ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING THE CONTACT PINS OF A FLUORESCENT LAMP, SAID HOLDERS EACH HAVING A BODY, MEANS IN SAID BODY FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE LAMP CONTACT PIN TO ESTABLISH ELECTRICAL CONTACT THEREWITH, AND GUIDE MEANS ON SAID BODY FOR ENGAGING AND GUIDING THE LAMP INTO A POSITION IN WHICH THE PINS THEREOF ENGAGE THE PIN-RECEIVING MEANS ON THE BODY; MOUNTING MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CHANNEL CASING FOR SAID HOLDERS; AND SPRING MEANS FOR SAID HOLDERS ENGAGED BETWEEN THE HOLDERS AND SAID BASE FOR RESILIENTLY URGING SAID LAMP HOLDERS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER FOR ENGAGEMENT OF A FLUORESCENT LAMP BETWEEN SAID HOLDERS. 